My Fair Charmer to Magna Graduate!

[Maureen]

just a small brag. My broodmare partner has had her good mare, My Fair Charmer accepted by Darby Dan for a free breeding to Magna Graduate. She is so excited! We have gone over the contract again and again, and there are absolutely no catches! Darby Dan has been wonderful to work with.

Another breeder here in southern Ontario has had a mare accepted to Nobiz Like Shobiz.

The Ontario stallion owners are going to need to sharpen their pencils this coming season if they want to get the good mares. If Ontario mares are good enough for KY, the stallion owners should be bending over backwards for us!

[LB]

Congratulations and good luck with the mating!

[ginger1307]

Congratulations on the breeding to MG..He was a very good racehorse for sure...This is what I have been telling my partner in LA--> Im gonna take my best mares in KY this year because I may never the the stud farms as willing to work deals as they are now...And I have gotten my mares to some nice KY stallions............Good luck g

[merse]

Good luck with your MG-My Fair Charmer breeding! I am considering Magna Graduate for my mare, Falcon's Eye, as I love the pedigree match on paper (Seattle Slew 4x4, Con Game 4x4, Northern Dancer 4x5x4, and Buckpasser 5x5x5).

I probably will not though because I think I am going to steer away from unproven sires this year. I think a lot of stud farms will be making deals given the state of the horse economy and I hope to "trade up" with an established stallion that I couldn't afford before.

[bdw0617]

can't beat nothin

[aurora]

Its a problem. I woud really like to take advantage of some of the deals that the KY farms are making for their stud fees but heres the rub. Board has gone up to 30 dollars a day (at least the farm I have used for years in the Lex area), It costs $150 a pop to send the mare to the stallion so if she doesn't get in foal the first time this starts to look like real money. Shipping has gone through the roof. Farrier costs are double what there are here at home. My biggest expense last year was shipping mares to other states to breed (except for stud fees of course).

On the other hand keeping 'em home and sending to a local stallion is a problem too. The regional stallion choices are extremely limited (here in the midwest at least). Most of the regional stallion's yearlings don't even average the stud fee ($2,500 for the top regional stallions). Forget sending a mare to LA or NM for a whole year, it too expensive to board for that long and you have to breed back to a regional stallion (again).

Here's the choices: breed to a KY stallion and lose a LOT of money, breed to a regional stallion and lose some money, race them and lose a LOT of money (on average), don't breed them at all (since the market is too bad to sell them). I hope we have a good hay crop next year, 'cause most of he gals are getting a year off.

[KMO_racing]

The farm I use is $22 day in Ky and have used them for 4 years. Thats alot better than $30 a day.

Also not breeding hurts the mares produce record especially if you ever want to sell. I believe with so many people not breeding the foals that are around are going to be worth more. Trainers have to fill barns every year, they will still be buying with less to choose from, bringing prices up.

If You don't breed one year especially older mares could be an issue latter. I know some ppeople that have 40 mares but are breeding 10. Reducing and only breeding the best mares.

[Stormchaser]

The thought of shipping a mare to KY this year is scary. Last year we shipped to a popular newbie KY stallion and all we got was a empty mare with a raging infection and a huge bill. Oh yes and the mare has to now have a D&C, that should be a few $$'s! With the 20 cent difference on the dollar, the shipping costs, the day board at the KY farms and the vet bills from down there I'd rather stay home and trailer breed to keep costs down. Even with a free stud fee the potential costs like we had last year would not prompt me to do it again this year. There are enough good stallions here in Ontario and most of the stallion owners are willing to bargain this season. We are "sharpening our pencils"!